FOR Morgan Whittaker, this feels like the true start of his Middlesbrough career.
And you can understand why.
He joined seven months ago, but at a time when Boro were in disarray and Michael Carrick was rearranging his squad week by game in search of a winning recipe.
Whittaker was thrust immediately into the starting lineup for his debut against Sunderland in the Tees-Wear derby, then dropped for the following game against Sheffield United before being reintroduced against Watford. All at a time when Boro were losing and their dreams of making the playoffs were diminishing.
On top of that, he had to cope with the fallout from his departure from Plymouth, when then-manager Miron Muslic claimed the forward refused to play against Burnley before joining Boro.
Whittaker was “devastated” by the charge and made it “abundantly clear” that he had not refused to play and that it had been decided in advance with Muslic that leaving him out was best for all parties involved.
It was hardly the best setting for his Boro arrival. And, as the disappointing second half of last season unfolded, Whittaker failed to make an impact in a team that was horribly inconsistent and lurched towards mid-table finish.
But now things seem different.
The 24-year-old came to Rockliife for the start of pre-season feeling recharged after his summer break. His mindset, he claims, has altered. And he had a positive feeling about life under Rob Edwards.
“It was difficult,” he admits of his first half-season at the club.
“But I know I have to deal with these situations and not always listen to outside distractions.
“Dealing with the end of last season and the entire season was challenging, but I used the summer to train hard, take a breather, and now I feel prepared.
“When I initially got here, it was challenging. My new situation was not the same as in Plymouth. But now I’ve settled in, had a wonderful summer, and want to continue into the season.”
So, does Whittaker’s time at Boro begin here?
“Yes, definitely,” he responds.
“It’s easy to say I only had half a season, but I got through it, took some time off, and now I’m ready to go.”
“The upcoming year feels big. I know the levels I want to reach, but we also know what we want to accomplish as a group.”
It’s worth noting Whittaker’s previous Championship performances.
In the 2023/24 season, he scored 19 league goals and assisted eight times for a team that ended 21st, surviving by one point.
He couldn’t duplicate that last season, but he did score three goals for struggling Argyle before the end of October, including a spectacular late winner in a surprise FA Cup win over Brentford soon before joining Boro.
Given his impressive Championship campaign, Boro were not the only club interested in Whittaker in January. There had been long-term international interest, and Burnley, who went on to win promotion, were pushing hard. But it was the Boro move that drew the most attention, and it was regarded as a genuine coup at the time.
Despite his challenging first few months at Boro, there should be reason to be optimistic about Whittaker’s potential this season, especially now that he claims to be playing with genuine belief.
“Getting the goal and assist in the first friendly (at Mansfield) was a massive help for me,” adds the striker.
“I believe I demonstrated confidence and decision-making skills this summer. That is the level I am currently at, and hopefully I can maintain it throughout the season.
“A lot of that has come from me simply believing in myself and not allowing extraneous noise to influence me.
“I had a nice summer off, worked hard, and altered my perspective on several aspects. Rob’s presence has also been really beneficial. He has given me the freedom to play how I want and to be ourselves.”
It’s still early days, but Whittaker likes how things are going under the new head coach.
He says, “It’s been really good.” He knows the quality we have; he’s only modified a few things during the summer.
“With the system we’re playing, he’s allowing us [the attackers] to play together and freely. It’s quite good. I believe we’ve found the proper balance.
“As a team, we have so many people who may make things difficult for us. Rob has given us the flexibility and encouraged us to be unpredictable. It is difficult for defenses to deal with that.”
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